How do you respond to verbally abusive behavior, aggression, or rudeness? If you are unable to respond with assertion when it is called for, you may respond in a passive-agressive way. Those of us who follow a spiritual practice are often taught to be non-judgemental but this can make us social doormats for those who abuse our acts of kindness. If you are truly successful, you should be able to handle interpersonal stresses without being thrown off center and without stooping to bad behavior yourself.

You do not have to give your power away to others who wish to manipulate or control you. You can find a force within that enables you to interact with power and command respect. You can learn to manage the energy of your thoughts and feelings to remain centered and present in such a way that you find yourself treated with dignity or at least able to maintain your peace of mind.

If you must interact with people who are verbally abusive, aggressive, or unfriendly on a regular basis at home or at work, you have probably noticed that these interactions take your mood down several notches and drain your energy. Sometimes the other person seems to get a charge out of the encounter. This sort of interaction can be annoying or distressing. If you are living or working in close quarters with someone who is verbally abusive or manipulative, it can be extremelly draining and even traumatizing.

You can deal effectively with negativity by being present and centered and calling on the power that is within you. You can manage your thoughts and feelings so that you are free of mantipulation and able to be in charge of your life. You may think that you must get power over others so they will not have power over you, but this is countering aggression with aggression.

Enlightened interaction is having power over yourself so that others do not have power over you. It involves genuine self expression, setting boundaries and requesting that they be observed. It involves honoring your own truth and preferences. Enlightened interaction shows respect for others and assumes they will show respect to you.

Many of us grew up in environments in which criticism, anger, and blame were the common. We became comfortable with that behavior. If we experienced this sort of abuse from parents or teachers over whom we had no power, we may have come to accept the negative and neurotic projections of others. We became susceptible to verbal abuse and many experience that same form of interaction in many if not most of our relationships.

While it is not your fault if you experience this sort of behavior, you need not be helpless. When you change the way you think, feel and behave, those around you must change. When you learn to tap into your inner power, people become much more respectful. You also become less susceptible to negative people and begin attracting more satisfying relationships